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  1. #11
    Senior Dog
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    Good job...and great picture!!!

    I'd recommend teaching "look at me", also. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/tr...-look-command/

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    Netmonkey (11-28-2018)

  3. #12
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Ontario, Canada
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    Love that photo.
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    Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

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    Netmonkey (11-29-2018)

  5. #13
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Carolina in my mind..
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    That is a great photo!

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    Netmonkey (11-29-2018)

  7. #14
    House Broken swanska's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    D.C.
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    Sorry for the late response but hope your efforts have been going well. My previous dog was highly stimulated by the outdoor environment and wanted to investigated everything and drag me everywhere -- the opposite of yours. However, the recommendation by my trainer was to walk him in a Thunder Coat after getting him used to it inside (as I recall, the coat came with instructions on how do acclimate him to it). We did this for awhile and it helped calm him enough to focus on me, follow instructions and receive his rewards. It was finally no longer needed and that fortunately happened before hot weather.

  8. #15
    Puppy
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    Nov 2018
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    Texas
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    Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Here is an update.

    In November, I think that Lacy had not fully settled in yet. Another 6 weeks have passed and she seems much more at home and much more relaxed. Lacy is giving us much more eye contact and is initiating more play. I am able to read her body language and I can tell when she is interested in playing. However, if she she does not want to play, my efforts to initiate it will fail.

    In December, my wife and I exposed Lacy to more public situations. My work sponsored a "bring your dog to work" day so I took Lacy. I didn't know what to expect, but she did pretty well. She didn't break down at all (no cowering or trembling in fear), but she wasn't super thrilled either. She let a few people pet her and she seemed more relaxed when there were other calm dogs around her. From this experience, it seems that she is most afraid of large men. At one point, however, she actually took a few treats from a "stranger." This was a big step forward.

    Also in December, our vet hosted a "santapaws" day. This was a social group gathering where we could also get a picture taken with santa. Lacy was very nervous at first, but she eventually started to wag her tail and was approaching and sniffing people. A few people were actually able to pet her. Again, I think her confidence came from the other dogs. However, when it was time for a picture with santa, she broke down and trembled in fear (since santa was a large man).

    The most interesting experience for Lacy was when my mom visited for a few weeks. This experience put Lacy's fears right in her home and forced her to deal with it. When my mom entered the house, Lacy immediately began barking at her. Lacy was pacing back and forth and ran away from my mom as she approached her. So, I put a leash on Lacy and had my mom sit on the couch. I then brought Lacy into the living room and we all sat there for a while just talking. Lacy eventually relaxed and I could take the leash off of her without her barking at my mom. It took 2-3 days, but Lacy eventually accepted my mom. After 5 days, Lacy was following my mom around and eliciting contact with my her. After 7 days, Lacy had totally accepted my mom and she could pet Lacy at any time. Lacy would even roll over and let my mom rub her belly.
    and this was cute.... the day after my mom left, Lacy was looking for her. Lacy laid down in the doorway to the guest room where my mom was staying:


    @Labradorks had recommended a training class taught by Amy Cook. I have been auditing that class since November, but I have not been able to apply the techniques taught in that class to Lacy. The class uses play as a way to get the dog to chose you instead of the trigger. The techniques make sense, but since I cannot initiate play with Lacy, it is difficult to apply the techniques. One of the sessions in the class talks about how to initiate the play. It shows play being initiated by rough-housing with the dog... pushing and pulling on the dogs head, legs, and snout. Or grabbing at their body and pulling them around. Lacy is so sensitive, that this kind of play actually causes her some anxiety. She actually looks afraid when I do that to her. I wonder if she was abused or was handled too rough in the past.

    I think that it is just going to take some time and patience with Lacy. She has really improved over the last 6 weeks and I think that she will continue to get better.


    On a few posts back, I mentioned that the animals are not allowed in our bedroom. Here is Lacy and the cat (Katniss) waiting outside the bedroom. It was near dinner time and they were being very patient


    Lacy and Katniss have been getting along and they make me laugh sometimes. Here, Lacy crammed herself into Katniss's bed:


    Since Katniss wanted to sleep, she took Lacy's bed:


    Well, Lacy then wanted her bed back, but Katniss was not going to give it up. So, they slept together:



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    kimbersmom (01-08-2019), Snowshoe (01-17-2019), zd262 (01-08-2019)

  10. #16
    Best Friend Retriever silverfz's Avatar
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    Jun 2016
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    Land of Holes
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    Some dogs have some genetic disposition to be like that. I have had gigi from 8 weeks. She mostly lab with a little German Shepard . She is well training and well travelled. She does alot of camping, road trips and is always among people . She is in offleash parks and generally very predictable. She used to extremely mouthy

    When people visit our home it took her i would say 2 yrs to settle to a point of barking and no jumping. We have had many parties and it usually the first one or two people she has had her guard on and then she just does not care.

    Walking is a different thing, she is amazing watch dog. In the dark me and wife trust to pick any one coming from bushes or doing anything. Before i used to tell her NO and try to walk around. Now i am trying something. i say good girl so she knows she is rewarded with a good girl for alerting and leave it to tell her she can continue. I used the leave it command she knows and good girl to build a new behaviour. so instead of puffing up and barking she alerts and leaves it.

    gigi is 90 lbs and built more like a Shepard with chocolate lab color. My cat who is 14 kicks gigi off her bed . We got a guniea pig recently and gigi is always trying to steal carrots from him when he is running around the living room .She knows the leave command so it is easy to teach her stuff.

 



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